


A Thousand Seas

by springhun



Category: One Piece
Genre: Archery, Awkward Roronoa Zoro, Canon Divergence, Eventual Romance, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Luffy Being Luffy, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pets, Prince Vinsmoke Sanji, Prostitution, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Spoilers, Strong Female Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-01-23 03:29:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18541369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/springhun/pseuds/springhun
Summary: Filled with an overwhelming sense of wonder for the world around her, Isla Rey has always dreamt of what lies beyond the reaches of the universe. A girl who’s extremely passionate about animals and dreams of traveling the sea to learn about the millions of animals around the world. Despite harbouring such large aspirations on the inside, her own naivety causes trouble for her at every corner. Her eyes of hazel and honey gold hide an unknown past that have always held her back from chasing them. But now, Isla is more determined than ever to not let any more of her youth go to waste. Still, her naivety continues to cause more problems for her—that is, until she meets a pirate just as bizarre as her.





	1. | BEGIN

I violated your justice. I desecrated what you loved. I penetrated your soul. You let me complicate who you are.

Your ignorance brought this upon you.

You think you can still be free?

You think you can escape?

Think again. I own you.

You can’t fight that. 


	2. dark king

**DARK KING RAYLEIGH STOOD ON THE DECK OF HIS SHIP THAT WAS BOUND FOR ASNORA.** The first mate of the King Of The Pirates recently helped 3 girls return to their home island, Amazon Lily after they escaped from the celestial dragons grasp.

The ship pitched and rolled like a frantic child thrashing about in the waters of the choppy and wallowing sea. Despite that, the rain was fairly light. It was barely just a drizzle. It wasn't enough to make you wet. Rayleigh took a sip of his alcohol and stared at the last passenger on his ship.

Amora Rey's thick dark brown wavy hair were drenched. The ends of hair were dripping. The women bore a empty expression on her face and stared out to sea.

"You're going to get cold. You should go back inside. Don't worry. I can navigate from here."

Amora ignored his advice. She held tight on the wooden railing, her knuckles white. She leant into the gale to feel the white salt spray that came crashing right over the sea wall. Through squinting eyes she drank in the sight of the waves. The roaring and pounding of the waves obliterated all other sounds. It drowned out the cries of her newly born child. She was extremely grateful for that.

Amora couldn't stand the sight of the baby. Looking at the baby brought back memories that haunted her. The disgusting celestial dragon put that thing in her body. He was drunk that one night, and out of the 300 female slaves he had, he chose her.

Every morning she wakes not knowing why. Why did this happen to her? What did she do to deserve it? She sat for a minute and rewinded it in her head, playing it over and over again. Amora could still smell the scent of semen that he left behind, along with the scars of her trauma. She wasn't able to go near her daughter without breaking down. Amora couldn't even think of a name for the baby. She was already five months old too. After almost a year and a half you would expect her to have forgotten but she could never escape from such a horrific experience.

Despite the waves crash against the ship canceling out all other noise, Rayleigh could still sense the babies cries due to his observation haki. He set his alcohol down and went back to the cabin. Rayleigh was no father, in fact he never exactly cared for children. Amora however, was the daughter of one his former crewmates — Lyla Rey. She was a marksmen, but also was a biologist. She had vast knowledge on the animals and devil fruits. Rayleigh assumed she was caught and executed like his other former crewmates, but after meeting Amora, he realized that wasn't the case. This was the least he could do for the daughter of one of his dear crewmates.

Rayleigh grabbed some of the baby formula and a baby bottle. Boa Hancock and her sisters gifted it to them as a sign of gratitude for returning them to Amazon Lily. There was no way Amora would be able to look at her baby, let alone breastfeed it. That's what Boa Hancock told him before he left Amazon Lily. He boiled water and opened the baby formula package. He poured the boiling water into the baby bottle and mixed in the formula. He gave it a good shake so the formula could mix in really well.

The baby was in a little crib the Kuja Pirates set up and was hysterically crying now. Tear streamed down her cheeks. Her whole face was red. She was screaming at the very top of her lungs. Her upper body and shoulders wracked with every sob that forced their way out, chest rising and falling unevenly as she gasped for air.

Rayleigh picked her up and patted her on the back. "There there." He muttered, trying to comfort her. Babysitting wasn't a skill that he learned during his days of being a pirate.

After about 5 minutes - or what seemed like forever to Rayleigh, the baby finally started to calm down. She was a dear little thing, born at only five pounds four ounces, but she gained weight fast in the span of those five months. She became quite chubby, developing those chubby bracelets where the fat folded at her wrists and ankles.

Rayleigh picked up her bottle. "Say Ah!"

She was an easy baby to feed, opening her mouth wide every time. Her little face glowed from a light within, and her miniature fingers found Rayleigh's fingers and clasped on tight. He felt a smile creep up on his face. She was adorable.

"You need a name. You've already been living for five months." He thought out loud.

"My wife and I wanted to name our child Isla. We never had one though. How is that? It's basic but it'll do right?" He asked the baby, even though it was clear she couldn’t answer.

Isla's bright honey gold eyes found his and she laughed. Only a baby can laugh a sweet sound unblemished by the hurts of life. It was pure innocence.

He smiled. "Isla Rey it is then."

***

 **THEY FINALLY REACHED THE HARBOUR OF ASNORA.** The entire shoreline was a beach covered with sand. There were tourists bathing in the sun and relaxing. Despite its comfortable atmosphere, it was a strange country. Scientists dominated the population of the island. They studied the creatures and plants that roamed the country.  There were many breakthroughs in medical science achieved on the island too. There were cures discovered for many fatal diseases and that saved thousands of lives.

It wasn’t a surprise that marines and pirates alike were curious about the island. Recruiting someone who had such vast knowledge on plants and animals could be extremely useful — whether it’s to find a cure to an illness or just eat lunch. They would always come by, but unfortunately many would get lost in the depths of the forests. The forests were forbidden, and for good reason too. They were extremely dangerous. If you went too deep in or weren’t careful enough, you’d never find your way out. The forests each have a strange magnetic field, so most compasses don’t work didn’t work in there. Den den mushis didn’t work either, so you couldn’t call for help.

Dozens of visitors and tourists went missing every year. Anyone who dared to step in to find their friends or loved ones would never be seen again. It was unfortunate, but that’s the way it’s always been for centuries on the island.

Rayleigh and Amora stepped off the boat. By now, Isla was six months old. She was now responsive to her the name Rayleigh gave her. She was able to sit up on her own. Her baby teeth started to grow so she could now can eat solid foods. Isla was definitely a glutton. She ate a lot during meals and always cried for seconds.

Her mother meanwhile, wasn't doing so great herself. She still wore those blank eyes and stared out to sea. Isla's mother rarely spoke to Rayleigh. He wasn't surprised if she was scared of him after everything she's been through. Amora lost a lot of weight too. Her cheeks were thinning day by day. She hasn’t been sleeping much either judging by the dark circles under her eyes.

It was as if she died already, and her ghost was floating around. This problem wasn't a physical one. It wasn't a broken bone or bruise that'll heal. Her scars were intangible. It'll take years for them to heal.

Rayleigh felt some attachment towards Isla. She definitely grew on him over the course of the six months they spent together. He couldn't help but feel worried for the poor child. Isla's father was a celestial dragon. If the government were ever find out, she was going to be in danger. They'll definitely come after her. Despite her technically being a celestial dragon, she'd never be considered one. Her birth itself would be considered as a mistake. There would be slave traders and pirates after her too, the long lost daughter of a celestial dragon would catch a hefty price - probably even more than a mermaid.

There would also be people who would try to murder her. The celestial dragons were beyond disgusting. They murdered, enslaved and tortured people from all over. If they found out the truth, they wouldn’t spare another second to kill her slowly and painfully.

To protect Isla, her real father should never be revealed. There should be only a selected few people that should know. It'd be better if Isla didn't know either. Ignorance is a bliss sometimes.

It doesn't help the fact that her grandmother is infamous either. Her grandmother may be strong, but if the government ever finds out who Isla is related to, they'll be after her head.

Rayleigh decided that he'll visit her from time to time to see how she was doing. It definitely wouldn't be often. He lived on Sabaody Archipelago which was in the middle of the grand line. He was a coating mechanic too. Isla didn’t live too far away, so he’ll definitely try to visit.

"Amora, I know you dislike Isla, but you do realize what will happen if her father is revealed?" He asked her.

"I'm not an idiot. I know that much. I'm not going to tell anyone except my younger sister. She's going to be able to take care of her."

"I have a question. Is your mother still around? I'd love to talk to her. It'd be nice to see how she was doing."

"She's passed. She died of a terminal illness quite some time ago."

"That's a shame, but she left a legacy behind. She has her two daughters and granddaughter to continue her name."

"Thank you Rayleigh, for everything. I won't forget anything you've done for me, both you and your wife. You sheltered me from harm, fed me and clothed me. You took care of...my daughter too. I truly do appreciate it. I’ll never forget your kindness.” She gave him a weak smile. It was a rare sight, something he didn’t think she’d every give him.

"It was nothing. I dislike the celestial dragons anyway."

"As a gift, you can take some sake along with other supplies for your journey back. The sake here is said to amazing. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. You can have as much as you want."

Their conversation was cut short when a women came running towards the ship. There was joy in every step and she scooped Amora in a bear hug. The women's eyes were filled with tears. Amora eyes slowly filled with tears. Before she knew it, Amora was hugging her tightly, her tears dripping from her cheeks onto the women's white shirt. Amora thought she'd never be able to cry again, but here she was freely crying. The women's arms were encircled around Amora, making her forget the pain she was feeling for months - even if it was just for a moment.

"I missed you so much Layla. It's been so hard." Amora whimpered. It’s been years since she’s seen her younger sister. She missed her so much.

"I'm so sorry Amora. I should've been there to protect you. It must've been so hard."

“It’s not your fault.”

The two sisters finally broke apart after a tearful reunion. Rayleigh handed over Isla to Layla, her aunt. If her mother couldn’t take care of her, then her aunt most likely can. Her aunt’s face wore a confused expression. Where did the child come from? Her mother stepped away from Isla. It was just too much for her.

“This child is a celestial dragon.” Rayleigh said. He was carrying Isla. Isla giggled, completely unaware of what was going on.

“What do you mean it’s a celestial dragon? Those are the world nobles. What is one of them doing here?”

“There’s no easy way to say this. Your sister...she was raped. She was kidnaped and sold as a slave. The celestial dragons bought her. One of them raped her. She eventually escaped and I brought her back. I’m sorry. She didn’t deserve any of this.” Rayleigh explained.

Layla’s face and eyes were frozen wide open of stunned surprise. She was silent for a moment, but then her hands squeezed into fists. Her eyes turned rigid and cold.

“Why...didn’t you kill the baby already? It was a mistake! It doesn’t deserve to live. It’s causing my sister so much pain. Get rid of it!” Her voice cracked like a whip through air.

“It’s true. Your sister is suffering a lot, but I can’t kill it. It’s not the child’s fault. Blame the celestial dragon, not the child.”

“I can’t do anything to the celestial dragons! You know that. This child is just going to cause so much trouble if anyone finds out!” Her voice started to crack. “What am I...supposed to say to everyone if they ask? This child is the granddaughter of a notorious pirate and the daughter of a celestial dragon!” Tears filled her eyes.

“Isla can live a quiet life here on the island. If anyone asks, she’s the daughter of a runaway slave who passed away. The child has nowhere to go. Although, she can prove as a great asset in the future. The power of a celestial dragon can be truly fearsome. That’s if you’re able to prove it, and if anyone is going to believe you. Who knows? That’s up to her to decide of course.”

“Isla? That’s her name. Did you name her?”

“Its what my wife and I wanted to name our child. We never ended up having one. It’s not exactly fancy or anything, but she seemed to like it.”

Rayleigh handed Isla over to Layla. The child made eye contact with Layla and started to cry. Her chin wrinkled up and her cheeks were red. Layla stroked her hair to try and calm Isla down.

“I’ll...take care of her. Thank you for everything.”


	3. scars of trauma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning: implications of suicide

**IT’S BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE AMORA ESCAPED FROM MARIEJOIS.** It’s been over a year since Rayleigh and Shakky gave refuge to Amora. It’s been over a year since she got on Rayleigh’s ship to go back home. It’s been over a year since Rayleigh left Asnora Island. 

It was Amora’s last year alive too.

The funeral was a grand one. It was as if everyone in the country attended — her friends, co-workers, neighbours and even the leaders of the country. She was considered to be a prodigy. Her dedication and passion in animals led on to her becoming a well-respected scientist at a young age. She helped conduct many experiments and traveled a lot do neighbouring islands for research purposes. The poor girl was just doing research on another island, but she was kidnapped and sold as a slave to the celestial dragons. She escaped, but she didn't last very long. She killed herself shortly after.It was a tragedy.

Struggling to hold back her grief, Layla handed Isla over to one of her co-workers for a moment. The brunette walked up to the coffin her sister rested in.

Most of her life, she just dealt with physical pain. The pain of scraping her knee or breaking her arm. All her cuts and broken bones could heal, but this was different.

It was emotional pain. This wasn’t another beast she could overcome by training, or a broken bone that would heal in a matter of weeks. She hated this feeling. She hated feeling weak and trapped. She hated not being able to do anything.

It was the same feeling she had when she lost her mother.

“I’m sorry Amora.” She whispered to the coffin. 

Layla knew no matter how many times she said this. She wouldn’t come back. 

Layla looked at Isla for a moment. A wave of contempt washed over her. How could she sleep so soundly? She was the reason all of this happened! She was the reason her mother died! She pushed those ill thoughts away. The baby did nothing. Layla was being emotional right now. She needs to think logically.

The sun shone brilliantly and the vibrant colour of the spring day was offensively bright and cheerful. It was as if they conspired to show everyone how the world would go on without Amora. It shouldn't. Amora frowned. Everything should be as grey and foggy. It should be cold and damp with silent air, but the birds still sang and the flowers still bloomed. Life went on, with or without Amora. Layla had to move on too.

Everyone said their tearful speeches. They thought of Amora as a friend, a sister, a coworker, a great role model, a teacher and most of all, a great biologist. Hearing everyone talk about Amora made Layla’s heart heavy. She would feel the bottom of her lip quiver every time a speech was finished. 

Once the funeral services were over, everyone slowly started to return their homes. Some people stayed to pay their respects to Amora, but eventually everyone left. Isla was taken home by one of Layla’s coworkers. The only person left were Layla.

Layla crouched down and pushed the free strands of hair behind her. She looked at the tombstone and reached out to trace the name that was engraved. She could feel her throat start to bubble up with emotions. She wanted the pain to go away. It wouldn’t. 

“I’m sorry.”  

Layla’s eyes started to feel wet. She touched them and stared at the small droplets on the tips of her fingers. She was crying. They were soft tears, slow little droplets that that are far and few inbetween, but they were there. 

Most people would’ve put a bouquet of flowers on their dear ones’ grave, but Layla didn’t bother. The thought would’ve made Amora’s nose flare up and turn into a fit of sneezing, wherever she was now. She disliked flowers and always complained when Layla brought them home when they were kids. The thought made Layla smile.

The brunette looked up to the sky and took a deep breath. Her eyes took in the beautiful scenery and this time, she appreciated it. Layla let out a sigh of contentment. 

“I hope you’re happy wherever you are. You lived a good life. Now it’s time for your offspring to carry on your legacy.” 


	4. 04 | prodigy

**ISLA COULD FEEL GOOSEBUMPS ON HER BODY RAISE AS THE COLD BREEZE HIT HER FACE.** She was running through The Forest of Mammals and Birds. Trees as tall as buildings surrounded Isla, and a strange green light shimmered through the vast canopy of leaves. The forest seemed to have an intelligence of its own. It's voice was the sudden roar of a line, the flicker of a monkey swinging through the branches overhead. She let out a giggle. The forest knew she was there. Isla didn’t care though. She was just there to have some fun! She saw all kinds of plants and trees. Some she never even heard of. She didn’t really go that deep in the forest yet either.

 

Isla was already 3 years old, but seemed to find her passion already. She loved plants. She loved looking at them, taking care of them and learning about them. She wasn’t a biologist, so she wasn’t given a special compass. She decided the only way to go in the forest was to steal her aunt’s compass. She was extremely sneaky about it too. She observed her aunt a lot and learned about her schedule. Her aunt spent most of her time in the giant laboratory where all the other scientists were. She rarely went into the forest. Islacould take her compass and return it before her Layla got home. Isla smiled to herself. She felt like a spy. 

 

Isla grew a few inches taller - but was still extremely small. She rarely played with other kids, but whenever she did, she was always the smallest. She was gradually started to lose some of her baby fat. The chubby bracelets where the fat folded at her wrists and ankles were now disappearing. 

 

Thick black hair now rested atop her head. It was no longer the light, wispy curls that used to crown her tiny head as an infant. It didn’t resemble the long, flowing, dark brown hair her late mother and aunt had. Instead, her hair resemble somewhat of a jungle. There were ringlets of hair. It went everywhere and was hard to control.

 

One of her curls got stuck on a branch. Isla let out a cry. She frowned. Despite only being three years old, she already hated her hair. She wanted to cut it all off. 

 

“Stupid hair…” She grumbled to herself taking out the little prices of wood that got tangled in. 

 

Isla looked up at the sky. It was hard to tell what time it was because of the gigantic trees, but it looked like the sun was about to set soon. She decided to call it a day and walked home. 

 

The Rey family home was more like a fortified castle than it was a proper home. It was built from the same dark stone seen in the town's oldest buildings. Years had weathered the stone, so new mortar needed to be added ever so often to keep everything solid. There were ferns and weeds that grew in the crevices of the ground that led to the grand building. There was a fountain placed right in the middle that would gurgle softly. The castle stood behind thick, heavy gates. There were two guards placed at the front of front. They were a few others scattered throughout the yard.

 

Isla didn’t understand why the house was so big, or why guards were exactly needed. Was there something in the house that was being guarded? She had no idea. If they saw her, they’d surely tell her aunt. The last thing Isla needed was to be scolded. 

 

Placing the compass in her pocket, Isla ran to the back of and climbed the gates. She managed to avoid the guards. She jumped over the gate, but the top part of the gate grazed her knee. She yelped and pummeled to the lawn on the other side. She coughed as she spat out pieces of grass that filled her mouth. Isla could taste the bitter tang of blood in her mouth. She must’ve bit her tongue during the fall. 

 

Isla attempted to stand up, but pain shot up through her legs and she collapsed to the ground. A howl escaped her lips. Her knees were scraped up and smeared with blood. One thing was for sure, it was going to be very painful to clean. Her aunt will definitely notice. She had eyes like a hawk. She was wearing shorts that day too so she wasn’t able to necessarily hide it either. Isla let out a sigh. 

 

She was definitely going to be scolded. 

 

***

 

**ISLA RAN PAST THE GUARDS THAT WERE SWITCHING DURING THEIR SHIFTS** . She swiftly weaved through them, staying deep in the darkness. By now the sun has already dipped into the horizon. Isla wasted too much time, and now she’s going to be late. She grimaced at the thought of her aunt scolding her. 

 

“Who’s there?” A voice boomed.  

 

Isla tensed up. Her body shifted back into the tree as another guard walked by with a flashlight. She pressed her back into it deeper, as if she was trying to become one with the tree. She held her breath. The guard finally leaves. She closes her eyes, focusing on the footsteps of the guards. They were like ripples through the ground, vibrating under her feet. She waited for the perfect chance. After what seemed like forever, she opened her eyes and grabbed the rope from her bag.

 

It was now or never. 

 

Isla gave it no more than a sideward glance as threw the rope up to the ledge of the balcony to her room.  She tugged onto it and it tied into a perfect knot. She grabbed the rope and started to climb up the wall. Isla looked down and swallowed thickly. The ground was starting to look further and further away. She’s been doing this for a whole month now, and this part of her plan always scared her. 

 

Isla’s muscles started to burn and she continued to climb. It was too much for her. She frowned. She was still too weak. She finally reached the top. Isla climbed through her window. She pulled the rope up and closed the window. She made it! The curly-haired female stretched and yawned .

 

“That was so much fun! I can’t believe I avoided all those guards. My arms hurt though. When I’m older I’ll definitely get stronger and be able to climb anything…” Her voice trailed off as she made eye contact with her aunt, who was sitting on Isla’s large canopy bed. 

 

Shoot...

 

The way Layla’s eyes squinted when she glared at Isla reminded her of a viper's pupils. Her arms were crossed as she tapped her foot at a rather rapid pace. Isla gulped nervously.

 

“First, you stole my compass, then you go into the forest without realizing the dangers that lie within it. You could’ve  _ died _ . On top of that, you come home late too” Her voice thundered. 

 

“I..wanted to look at all the different plants and trees.” Isla’s voice was small in comparison. She cowered in front of her aunt. Layla generally was nice, but the last thing you wanted to do was make her angry - especially not after work too. 

 

Layla let out a sigh. Her eyes softened. “You can look at plants after you become a field biologist” 

 

Isla’s eyes lit up. “How do I do that?” 

 

“You have to study a lot about plants. Afterwards, you have take the exams. If you pass, you’re trained by a professional field biologist. Then you can study the animals in the forest. It’s a lot of work.”

 

Isla shook her head. “Nope! I only have to do 3 things. I have to study, pass and get trained. Then I can look at plants all day!” 

 

Layla ruffled with Isla’s curly hair. She gave her a smile. “I love your positivity. You can definitely can do it.”

 

***

 

**ISLA WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.** By now, she managed to learn how to read and write. Isla was ahead of all the kids her age. She memorized all the different types of plants in The Forest of Mammals and Birds. You could ask her anything about them, and she’d be able to tell you. 

 

Her borrowing habits however, did not stop at all. Even after her aunt scolded her multiple times. Nothing happened, so she’ll be fine right? 

 

Isla was on top of a tree in The Forest of Mammals and Birds. Holding a pair of binoculars, she was watching a pair of foxes play with each other. She frowned deeply once she realized what they were doing. They were mating. 

 

“Yuck!!” Isla wrinkled her nose. 

 

The two foxes suddenly ran away. Isla arched an eyebrow. What was going on? 

 

Then she heard a roar. 

 

“Oh shoot!” Isla jumped off the tree and landed on her feet. Whelp, that was a bad idea. Jarring pain shot through her ankles. She immediately shook it off and started running. 

 

Isla somehow managed to make it into a bear’s territory. She didn’t see any baby cubs around. Mama bears are very protective over their cubs. Isla was done for if they catch her. 

 

It didn’t take long for the bear to be hot on Isla’s heels. Her heart started to race, but she had to keep going. Branches constantly attacked her, scratching her ankles and knees. The leaves crunches underneath her feet and big brown logs seemed to appear out of nowhere as if they tried to stop her.

 

Isla eventually tripped on a log, and fell flat on her face. She was paralyzed with fear and couldn’t move. The brown bear stood 5 feet above Isla. It’s teeth were exposed in an angry fashion. They were sharp, white daggers, hanging inside a dark moist cave ready to slice her body until she bled to death. It’s paws were rooted to the ground, but no doubt ready to clobber her if she made any sudden movements. 

 

Isla held her breath and closed her eyes tight. This was all her fault. She wandered into their territory, now they were going to kill her. She waited for a swift death, but nothing came. Instead, she heard something fall to the ground with a large ‘thump’. 

 

Isla slowly opened her eyes. She saw the bear knocked out on the floor. Thankfully, it was still alive. Her gaze shifted to the figure that was standing in front of her. It was an elderly man. 

 

The warmth from Isla’s eyes evaporated. She clenched her fists as she glared at the man. “What did you do to the bear?” 

 

“It’s still alive don’t worry. I used haki.” He explained. 

 

Isla narrowed her eyes and continued to stare at him.  He had long white hair, glasses and a scar on his right eye. He was wearing a green t shirt, shorts and a silver cloak.

 

“Who are you?” She asked. 

 

“I’m an old family friend of yours. My name is Silvers Rayleigh.” 

 

Isla stared at him for a moment. Her gut said he wasn’t a bad man. She decided to trust him. “Alright. Thank you for saving me Rayleigh! My name is Isla Rey.” She shook his hand. 

 

Isla took the compass out of her pocket. “Don’t worry! I’ll show you the way to the main island. We’re not too deep in the forest. I went a bit too deep this time and was almost killed.” 

 

Rayleigh smiled. “Show me the way Isla.” 

 

Isla stopped abruptly. “What was that haki stuff you did? Can you explain it?” 

 

“To put it simply, Haki is an ability that every living thing has. Observation haki is where you’re able to sense spiritual energy. Armament haki is where you wear an armour. You’re able to hit intangible things. There is an extremely rare one called Conquers haki. It’s where you’re able to overpower your enemies.” 

 

“Hmm...so do you have Conqueror's Haki? What about me? I want it.”

 

“It’s rare. It’s a one in million chance for you to have it. You most likely don’t have it. You can still use observation and armament haki though.” 

 

Isla frowned. “It’s not as cool though. I wanna be special!” 

 

Rayleigh only laughed at her response. His laugh was surprisingly rough and warm. “It’s fine Isla. You can still be strong. Besides, you have your whole entire life to figure out what you wanna do.”

 

“I already know what I’m going to do. I’m going to study hard and become a biologist! I’ll learn about all the different plants in the world.” Isla shouted. She puffed out her chest and stood proudly. 

 

“Big dreams at such a young age. You remind me of your grandmother.” 

 

Isla’s eyes widened “Grandmother? You two were married? Does that mean you’re my grandpa?”

 

Rayleigh frowned. “No. We were both crewmates on the same ship.”

 

Isla cocked her head in confusion. “Crewmates. Does that mean you’re a pirate?” 

 

“I used to be a pirate. I’m now a coating mechanic.” 

 

“Does that mean you went on a lot of adventures? That’s so cool!” Isla’s eyes lit up. 

 

“You’re not scared of me?” 

 

Isla shrugged her shoulders. “Why would I be scared? You’re not a bad pirate. If you were bad, you would’ve not saved me. There are always good people, that means there are always good pirates.” Isla pointed ahead. “We’re almost at the end of the forest! Let’s go. I’ll show you where we live.”

 

Rayleigh stopped walking. “Isla…” He started. 

 

“Hmm?” She turned around to look at him. 

 

The kindness in his eyes evaporated. “What if I’m a bad person? I could be lying to you. What if I want treasure? What would you do then?”

 

Isla stopped walking. She was silent for a moment, then she finally spoke. “My aunt would kick your ass. She’s strong.” 

 

Rayleigh chuckled. Her way of thinking was naive. He wasn’t surprised either. She’s still a child. It’s true there are good pirates, but the amount of bad pirates far outweigh the good ones. Rayleigh never considered himself to be a good person either. 

 

She still had a lot to learn about the world.

 

Speaking of the world, Rayleigh didn’t trust this island one bit. They continued to follow the path that led to the end of the forest. He sensed something ominous about this forest. Someone was following them. Rayleigh turned around. They cowered away as soon as Rayleigh turned. 

 

This island is unsafe. 

 

***

 

**ISLA AND RAYLEIGH WERE GREETED BY LAYLA, WHO CAME EARLY FROM WORK THAT SAY.** Isla received a good scolding and two punches on the head for stealing the compass again. She rubbed the back of her head, in an attempt to soothe the pain. 

 

“That hurt Aunt Layla!” Isla whined.

 

“Maybe that’ll teach you not to steal my things from now on.” She snapped back. 

 

“Hello Layla. I hope I’m not intruding.” 

 

“Rayleigh it’s been awhile! Thank you for being my idiotic niece back home. Come in for some tea.” She smiled. 

 

Rayleigh and Isla followed Layla into the home. The interior of the house was just as gigantic as the inside. The base was in a rectangular shape and housed the main living areas: kitchen, dining room, living room, etc. The second floor came in at an angle. It contained many different rooms for the main family, as well as all the workers of the home. The last floor was downstairs. Isla wasn’t allowed to go in there. From what she hears from the guards however, it contained all of Layla’s research, along with her mother’s and grandmother’s. 

 

One of the maids poured Rayleigh a cup of wine. They all sat down at the dining room table. Isla was given a cup of lemonade, because she wasn’t allowed to drink yet. She also hated most flavours of juice. She guzzled down the refreshment. It was nice and sweet! 

 

Layla and Rayleigh talked about grown up stuff. It was all about people she didn’t know. Nothing Isla cared about. She turned them out. Isla continued to sip on her juice until they were finished talking. Layla left the table to go attend to some things. There was a problem in the kitchen. This was now Isla’s chance. 

 

“Rayleigh...can you tell me about your adventures as a pirate?” She learned forward on her chair, eager to listen. 

 

“If you really want. I’ll tell you a story about how I meant my captain, and how we changed the world.” 

 

***

 

**ISLA WAS SHOCKED BY THE TIME HE FINISHED HIS STORY** . It was a wild ride right from the East Blue to the final island, Raftel. She had no idea about his norterity. He was the First Mate of the King of The Pirates? He traveled the entire grand line? He went to a sky island? She had no idea islands in the sky existed. The thing that surprised her the most, was that her grandmother was on his crew: Queen of The Beasts, Lyla Rey. Isla didn’t know noreity ran in her blood too. 

 

His life was definitely full of adventure and excitement. Isla felt bad for him though. His entire crew was killed. His captain however, started an entire era just by a couple sentences. 

 

“I didn’t think someone this famous would be inside my house.” She finally said in awe. She was slowly looking at him in a different light. He wasn’t just an old man, but rather the First Mate of The King of The Pirates. 

 

“You don’t have any questions? You never even asked me about the One Piece, and if it really exists.” 

 

Isla shrugged.“I don’t care. I want to be a great botanist, not King of The Pirates.” She answered. 

 

“You’re a weird kid.” 

 

“I know. Aunt Layla tells that all the time.” 

 

***

 

**AFTER A DAY OR SO, IT WAS FINALLY TIME FOR RAYLEIGH TO LEAVE.** He bought some food supplies and water from the shops in town. It was enough for the trip back. It’ll still take a while however. He lifted  the anchor. Now it was just time to set sail. 

 

“Wait!” A voice called to him. He looked up. It was Isla. 

 

The four year old was running up to him with a box. He wasn’t able to make out what it was from far away. Isla reached the shore and dropped it. She rested her hands on her knees as she panted. Isla wiped glistening sweat off her forehead. 

 

“I...made...it.” She said in-between breaths. “It’s sake for you! You like it right? It’s not a lot, because you have to come back!” She stood up straight and looked him straight in the eye. 

 

Rayleigh was taken back from her sudden kindness. Isla was a strange girl. He stepped off the deck of his ship. He took the box of sake and smiled.

 

“Alright. I’ll be back soon. See you later Isla!” 

 

“See you later too!” 


End file.
